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Calendar and Festivals
After the Vaen left the mainland during the First Darkrider Incursion, the dimmed and died out as people had more important things to do than maintain their belief system, such as fighting to keep themselves alive. The Calendar was changed not long after the conflict was resolved and its current form is credited to the Chume’taly astronomer He’charn Clan L’trusha. The old Festival days remain, but the reason for celebrating has changed as have many of the methods of doing so. Festivals New Year 03: Feast of the Hunt This day is celebrated largely the same way as Tem’leyshu’s festival was with a large hunt, banquet, and games. Traditional food is anything that was killed during the hunt, generally a large deer. Heartmatch 07: Day of the Lovers This has become a day for couples to celebrate their love. It’s not uncommon for people to marry on this day, nor is it uncommon for new couples to form. Celebrated by the giving gifts and the singing of songs. Traditional food for this day is sparkling cider from Forzen Cove and small pastries, usually filled with a sweet cream or fruit. Thaw 05: First Planting This is the most important day for farmers across Keverynn as it is the day when the first crops of the year are planted. It’s considered bad luck for it to be over cast on this day. There is no real traditional food on this day, but many people eat a dish called Chovall as it’s the most common and basic fare. It is a pie made of vegetables, gravy, and whatever meat they happen to have available. While Chovall is considered a ‘poor man’s food’, even the wealthy have been known to eat Chovall on this day though the quality of the dish is much greater than the common man can afford to make. Newgreen 11: Children’s Day The day for children is celebrated by parties, kite flying, and games. It is customary for children to go door to door and be given small treats and sweets. There are parts of this day that are different for boys and for girls. With boys, it is traditional to eat Achamann (buns filled with a spicy bean paste) and Komalai (steamed duck wrapped in oak leaves). Boys fly kites that they have made themselves. These are usually shaped like shields and dragons. Girls traditionally eat dishes made with cherries as this is the month when cherries come into season as well as Adefoyen (diamond shaped pastry stuffed with vegetables, similar to a spring roll). Cherries are the herald of spring as well as a symbol of courage. The Cherry blossoms are symbols of feminine beauty and are a prevalent decoration in the homes of young girls. There is a unique drink made of cherries that is consumed during this festival called Tanebon. It has a sweet, almost syrupy quality to it and is a little bubbly. Boys aged 5, 9, and 14 and girls aged 6, 10, and 15 are given special gifts on this day to celebrate those milestones in their lives. Flowerbloom 23: Parade of the Flowers A few days before the festival, the Flower Maid and the Green Man are selected and together they preside over the coming festivities. This day is celebrated by decorating wagons with flowers and parading them through the streets of the town, city, or village as part of a contest. Prizes vary from place to place. Tuarel has the most impressive displays to be found on Keverynn. There are also flower arranging contests. It is a common activity to pack a picnic lunch and sit in the public gardens simply relaxing and enjoying the day. Longdays 19: Midnight Sun A day for late night picnics and outdoor parties as this is the longest day of the year. Dragonhatch 25: Day of the Dragon While hatchings occur throughout the entire month, many hatchings do occur on this day. Dragons hatched on this day are considered lucky. Celebrated largely by flying dragon kites, displays of fancy flying by riderless dragons, aerial combat displays by the dragonriders, and eating food shaped like dragons. Hotdays 31: Star Festival If the skies are clear, most folk gather outside of town to look at the stars. There is a meteor shower that occurs on this night nearly every year. It is bad fortune to not see one as it signifies a bad winter. A long shower is indicative of a milder winter to come. Star shaped pastries are typically eaten. LeafFall 10: Harvest Faire This is a day to celebrate the fruits of the field. Usually marked by handiwork, cooking, baking, and art competitions as well as pot luck banquets that feature the foods from the competitions. Chilldays 08: This day marks the beginning of winter in the northern regions as snow often begins to fall around this time. All the fields are bare now and many people are nearly done storing up for the coming winter. In the far south, they are planting their second crop of the year as the weather permits. In Me’chu’, they are in the middle of harvesting the forest bounty or nuts and berries. It is common to spend the day engaging in outdoor activities and games. Horse racing is especially popular and this day marks the last race of the year. Deathsleep 12: This is the shortest day of the year. By now, the northern parts of Keverynn are buried in snow. The afternoon is spent judging ice sculpture contests and ski races. Children build Snow Demons to scare away any monsters that may want to come calling in the dark. The evenings are spent inside burning candles in the windows and at least one stick of birch wood in the fireplace. Wealthier families have fires entirely of birch wood. A traditional white cake is eaten on this day topped with raspberries in some form. Whitecold 31: Last Day The last day of the year is marked by people gathering in the village or town square. A bonfire is built of Rowan, oak, ash, and birch wood. People write down regrets and sins of the past year and wishes for the new year and burn them on the fire. This is also the day for cleaning the house to be rid of the clutter and bad things from the last year. It helps to start the new one off with a clean slate, as it were. Sprigs of cornflower, dogbane, and clover are tied above the door for the coming of new things, keeping threats away, and fortune. Category:Keverynn